Teacher Profiles
David Coates

David Coates joined the staff of Dr Morgan's probably in the 1959/60 school year and taught English. He left in about 1963 or 64. In the short time he was there he made a great impact on the school that was considerable.

Until he arrived school plays were not known for their excellence or choice of subject. They were either boisterous affairs produced by the pupils themselves culminating in the Sixth Form renditions of "Mud, Glorious Mud" or plays like Beaumont and Fletcher's Knight of the Burning Pestle which did not always hold the interest of pupils of grammar school age! . David Coates brought productions like Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice to Dr Morgan's and gave the school a reputation for good Drama. School plays suddenly became an events to be remembered and often involved both school and community.

David Coates was also a very good athlete and brought that interest to the school. Before he arrived, Dr Morgan's had often performed badly in athletic school competitions against Taunton and Weston-Super-Mare. He made track events a serious sport - and mainly through his efforts, Dr Morgan's found themselves first in the three-school competition instead of last.

He was also a good and sensitive teacher and had a great love of music - Maria Callas being his heroine of Opera. He did not convince all pupils to like Opera but he did help create the realisation that Opera was an art form of some importance.

When David Coates left Dr Morgans, he went on to Lyme Regis and now lives in Swanage. He will always be remembered by many of the pupils he taught and for the contribution he gave to the school.